Former Home Secretary Rajiv Gaba becomes the new Cabinet Secretary

New Delhi, 22nd August 2019, Thursday

Rajiv Gaba, the Union Home Secretary and IAS officer of the 1982 batch, was made the new Cabinet Secretary of the Center. Ajay Kumar was made Defense Secretary.

Both officers will be in office for two years from August 30. Earlier, PK Sinha was the Cabinet Secretary who had been working for the extension after having been active for the last four years. The appointment was approved by a Central Selection Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PK Sinha went against the rules and the government gave the extension. Gaba was about to retire shortly. But there was no doubt that the government was behind the cabinet secretary's appointment. Recently, GABA used its abilities to cancel the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. He is, by nature, one of the quietest, most gentle and controversial officers. This is the first opportunity for any officer close to retirement to be a cabinet secretary, informed sources said.